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From 1991 in Kazakhstan for the first time officially celebrate Nauryz holiday.

Nauryz holiday is one of the oldest festivals in the world. It is
celebrated over five thousand years as a celebration of spring and the renewal
of nature by many people of Near East, Central Asia and according to some data
eastern Slavs.

Historical data about this holiday are found in the writings of many
ancient and medieval authors. According to Eastern chronology it corresponds to
Iranian New Year (Navruz). Kazakhs, Uzbeks and Uyghurs from generation to
generation transferred tradition of celebrating. Tajiks called it
"Gulgardon" or "Gulnavruz", Tatars "Nardugan" and
among ancient Greeks it was known as the "Patrih". The roots of
holiday can be found in ancient pagan rituals. From ancient time the form of
celebration itself carried the principles of love for nature. Despite the
antiquity of this holiday it was preserved in the memory of the people and now
has a new spiritual and ethical meaning.

According to the ancient reckoning that day usually coincided with the
March 22— the day of the vernal equinox.
Therefore Kazakhs called the month of March Nauryz. It was believed that this day is
updated in nature, the first spring thunders, swelling buds on the trees and lush
greenery sprouts. It should be noted that Nauryz as secular holiday of spring
and renewal has common roots and parallels with wires and many other
significant moments in the lives of all people of Kazakhstan. If in this day
were born boys, traditionally they were called Nauryzbay or Nauryzbek and girls
just Nauryz or Nauryzgul. If in this day snowing, it was considered as a good
sign. Even the girl's beauty in Kazakh legends compared with white snow of
Nauryz as in March is usuallysnowing with a special white and soft
fluffy snow.

In
the past, the Kazakhs called Nauryz the Day of Ulus of the people or the great
day Ulus. The people become have tradition: the more generous will be
celebrated Nauryz holiday, the more
successful will be the year, hence, the abundance of holiday tradition and
attributes. On the eve of the vernal equinox people tidy their house, pay off
debts, put up if being in the quarrel, as elders said, when Nauryz comes into
their house, all disease and failure must pass them by. The night before the
celebration to mark the wishes of the abundance of milk, crops and rain all
containers filled with milk, kefir (fermented milk product), corn, spring water
and the day of Nauryz all tried to be in a good mood. People embrace each other
with open arms, express best wishes to all the troubles and woes turned from
them.

Nauryz
celebration began from traditional meeting dawn, which associated with the ancient ritual - "If you see
spring - clean its source". All
adults, youth and children , pick up a shovel, hoe , gather at the appointed place at the spring or ditch and made
​​his clearing when they facing the dawn. Then all together under
the leadership of the venerable old men plant trees. At the same time, according to established tradition, uttered the words: "Let it remain in the memory of
the human tree, rather than herd", "chop down one tree - plant a
ten".

After
the performance of ritual activities three men in the form of zhyrshy (Kazakh
folk singer) invited (crier) visited all the streets, squares and courtyards and
called everyone to the holiday. They dressed in bright and festive costumes.
They could be character of Kazakh fairytales like Aldar Kose, Zhirenshe and Karashash
beauty. After they began a festive presentation. People have fun, congratulate
each other with the New Year and wish each
other good, sing songs, which for a long time been composed for this
holiday - Nauryz zhyr, staged fighting of man and woman, competition in patter
(zhanyltpash) and guess riddles (zhumbak).

These day a lot of food prepared, which
symbolized wealth and abundance in the coming year. At noon on the specified
place at the village slaughtered bull and cooked from its meat the meat dish called
"Bel-koterer", which means " straighteningthe figure" as
the bull was considered one of the most powerful animals and the food from it
give the strength and endurance to people.

Dastarkhan
(Tablecloth) covered in each family. Meal was timed to noon, before and after
which mullah recited prayers in honor of ancestors. When the celebration
complete one of the eldest of those give a blessing (bata), in order remain
welfare of the family from year to year. In Kazakh tradition, during the
celebration of Nauryz, number "7" was the compulsory, which
represented the seven days of week - time units of universal eternity. Seven
bowls with Nauryz -kozhe drink, which made from seven varieties of seven types
of cereals, were served to aksakals (elders). These seven components typically
include meat, salt, fat, onions, wheat, kurt(drained
sour milk rolled into balls) and cottage cheese.

Celebration
is always accompanied by mass games, traditional jumps entertainment. The most
famous and loved by people games are "Aikysh-uikysh" ("Towards
each other") and "Audary-spec", during this game horsemen pull
over each other from the saddle. Nauryz holiday is not complete without
wrestling, where not only boys, but girls also could participate. Girls induce
boys to the competition with the condition that if he wins, he can get right to
marry her, but if she wins he must obey and carry out any of her desires, in
such cases Nauryz turned into wedding celebrations.

All
people regardless of gender, age and social class, released from daily duties
and on equal rights have been actively involved into fun and games. At this
time, all sorts of ethical prohibitions were removed in the relations between
men and women, even those that have always existed between senior
brother-in-law and sister-in-law. Scientists believe that this game for fun is
the echo of free joint meetings and mass entertainment in the days of the
revival of the dead nature between two clans and fraternities, when for the
short time removed restrictions and prohibitions in the relationship between
men and women.

The
day finishes with representation where two bard in verse form compete in songs.
They stop the contest when the sun goes over the horizon, when good triumphs
over evil. Then they light up a bonfire and people with lighted torches visited
all the neighborhoods of the village, singing and dancing, thereby completing
the holiday of spring renewal and equinoxes.

The
history of Nauryz has difficult fate. In the era of the formation of
totalitarian system, when all national was found as insignificant. All
references to the traditional heritage listed as anachronisms and remnants of
antiquity. Nauryz was abolished in 1926. It was celebrated in 1988 for the first
time after a long time being forgotten, and ironically it received wide
publicity. Official recognition of Nowruz Celebration acquired March 15, 1991
after the Decree of the President of the Kazakh SSR "On the national
holiday of spring - "Nauryz". President announced March 22, the vernal
equinox, a holiday - "Nauryz". Since that time began wide celebration
" Nauryz " throughout the country.

Certainly,
modern shape of holiday differ
significantly from their previous contents. It is not only theatrical performances
and a richly decorated yurt, deliciously cooked Nauryz-kozhe, but also holding
fundraisers, folk sports games, greenery maintenance , planting trees ,
cleaning parks and other recreation areas, streets and squares.

Nowadays
" Nauryz " became a national holiday of spring and labor unity. Today
this holiday is equally significant to all peoples living in multinational
Kazakhstan. Ancient holiday Nauryz harmoniously transformed into modern life
while preserving the continuity of traditions of antiquity.